Interactive website for kids is right on the money

A new non-commercial website www.moneyville.ie has been developed, which is aimed at raising levels of financial literacy among Irish children.

Supported by National Irish Bank, the website is a learning tool designed to help parents and teachers educate five to seven year olds about money in a fun and informative way.

The idea is to provide children with a basic understanding of money, how they can prioritise and save it so they can eventually manage their own finances.

The site was developed in association with leading experts in e-learning, including media researchers, child psychologists, representatives from teacher training organisations and online media experts. On top of this, it was fully tested by children around the country.

Created to support the National School Curriculum, the site consists of an online universe which introduces children to the most basic financial literacy skills through different games and online exercises, using Flash technology.

In this universe, each child is given his own personal house and room, as well as a personal character. There’s a wide variety of areas, such as the ’apple booth’, where you can make money by gathering apples and selling juice; the ’city gate’, where you earn money by helping to paint; and the ’wish jar’, where you can save up for things you’d like to buy.

“We recently completed research that identified gaps in the levels of financial literacy in our young people and found that between the ages of five and seven is generally when children begin to encounter and learn about money for the first time,” said Caroline Douglas, National Irish Bank’s communications manager.

Moneyville.ie is part of National Irish Bank’s corporate social responsibility programme, which is why it’s separate to the bank and 100pc non-commercial. National Irish Bank is part of the Danish Danske Bank Group.